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Pritzker signs legislation raising teacher minimum salary to $40K

Springfield, Ill. — Taking another step to address the statewide teacher shortage, Gov. JB Pritzker signed House Bill 2078 on Thursday raising teachers’ minimum salary to $40,000.

“As Illinois children head back to school this week and next, this new law says to them and their parents loud and clear: we value teachers,” Pritzker said. “In signing this legislation, we’re addressing our teacher shortage and gradually putting teachers on track to make at least $40,000 a year by the first day of school in 2023. To teachers all across Illinois: I see the care and compassion you put into your work, and I’m proud to help make sure you earn what you’re worth.”
 
The current minimum teacher salary ranges from only $9,000 to $11,000 and hasn’t been raised in decades. 

The new law takes effect Jan. 1, 2020, and phases in the increases over four years: $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year, $34,576 for the 2021-2022 school year, $37,076 for the 2022-2023 school year, and $40,000 for the 2023-2024 school year. In the years following, the minimum salary will rise based on the Consumer Price Index, subject to review by the General Assembly.  

According to Illinois State Board of Education data from the 2018-2019 school year, there are 4,196 unfilled positions in school districts across the state, including 1,848 unfilled teaching positions.

 

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